So, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting this gorgeous mama and her darling boy on Saturday.  She wanted to surprise her husband for his birthday–what a great birthday gift!  I hear someone has a few preconceived notions about pregnancy that I think may be about to change:).  Baby boy #1 and I bonded over fruit snack, dinosaurs, and Dum-Dums and I am so excited to see him become a big brother to his baby brother-to-be.  I know I have loved watching my own girls be each others’ best friends.  Mom, you are in for a treat!

People told me when I was pregnant with Jack that there is an extra-special bond between a little boy and his mommy. You, know what?  They’re right.  This next image just about sums that up for me.

And a few of just Mom.  Um yeah, it’s all just baby in there–she looks fabulous!

I seriously don’t think she could be any more gorgeous.

Thanks for a fabulous session!  Can’t wait to meet the little guy:).

It’s always a pleasant surprise to have a client show up who pretty much makes my job a piece of cake.  When I opened the door for this absolutely stunning couple, I just knew my job was going to be so easy.  Dad was so obviously in love with Mom, and Mom was so comfortable in front of the camera (even if she did feel a little silly at times) and simply glowing with happiness.  Baby Nadia is so lucky to be coming to these wonderful parents, and I cannot wait to meet her.

A little taste of a wonderful session.

Thanks so much, guys!  It was wonderful getting to know you.  Can’t wait to see you again soon–with Nadia!

So very soon, in fact.  This mama is due in just a week and a half.  I know this beautiful mom just can’t wait to meet her new little girl–neither can I, for that matter!  There is just something so wonderfully gratifying about being invited in to share in such a special and ultimately life-changing time in a person’s life.  I felt so honored that Erin chose me to document her pregnancy.  Here she is in all her pregnancy loveliness…

…but not for very much longer!

Just love all the rich, warm colors in this first one:

Erin, it was simply a pleasure.  Can’t wait to meet you, baby girl!

I think one of the reasons I love to photograph mommies-to-be, besides the fact that they are just glowing, gorgeous, and simply amazing, is that I feel so honored to be included in such a momentous time in a family’s journey together.  Whether it’s a couple’s first child or their fifth, each new little person brings a unique personality and dynamic to the family.  It’s exciting to watch a family expand and make room in their hearts for their new arrival, and the fact that these families allow me to be a part of that anticipation is truly an honor.

This is baby #1 for this beautiful couple.  Already baby Noah is treasured by so very many people.  What a lucky, lucky boy to be coming into such a loving family!

I don’t think that Mom could be any prettier even if she tried.  I could be wrong.  But I’m usually not:)

Thank you so much for allowing me to capture this amazing time in your lives.  I cannot wait to see Noah again–this time on the outside:).

It’s hard to believe I am already nearing the end of this pregnancy.  Life with my three girls has been so busy, I have hardly had time to catch my breath, let alone think about poor little peanut.  But he’s coming whether we feel ready or not, and we are so very excited to meet him.  In fact, if he were to arrive on my second daughter’s schedule he’s be over a week old right now.  That thought prompted me to push through my Sunday afternoon exhaustion to get some (probably) final belly shots with my darling girls before it’s too late.  My husband is my very favorite person for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he doesn’t bat an eye when I ask him to help set up the studio while the girls and I get all dolled up for an impromptu shoot.  I can’t thank him and my girls enough for capturing these final pregnancy moments for me!

I must confess that the Type-A in me much prefers to be on the other side of the camera, but I am so, so happy and grateful for these–thank you, Honey!

I looked it up (that’s just how big a nerd I am), it’s really a word. From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:

gorgeous: splendidly or showily brilliant or magnificent

-gorgeousness noun

I completely blame this client’s gorgeousness for my inattention to session variety.  I fell so in love with the way her hair fell around her gorgeous (there it is again) face, the perfect slope of her shoulders, her beautiful profile, that I totally forgot to take any belly shots.  Poor thing was such a good sport to get dressed back up again 5 minutes after the shoot when I realized my blunder.  But take a look–can you really blame me?

Total session favorite!

I think good looks are a family tradition:).

Okay, so even on the belly shots I cheated;).

Oh, how I wish I could be there to meet the beautiful baby joining your family.  Only my own could keep me from making the trip.  Best of luck!

It’s pretty obvious that I love to photograph newborn babies.  I just love their perfect little button noses, those sweet lips, that beyond-soft downy hair, and their teeny-tiny toesies–it’s almost intoxicating.  I look forward to each and every newborn session.  Well, imagine my excitement when I pulled up to meet my newest (GORGEOUS) maternity client.  Seriously, with parents like these, baby boy can’t help but be adorable.  I may be almost as excited as the new-parents-to-be to for him to arrive.

I love silhouettes, but there’s just something extra-special about this one–LOVE it!

Thank you so much for such a wonderful evening.  It’s obvious how much you two love each other–you’re going to be fabulous parents!

What more can really be said of a family who agrees to get up at 6:00 a.m. so we can be out shooting in the desert of Utah before 7:00 a.m.?  Seriously, this family was a dream to work with.  And check out what they’re wearing!  Major kudos to Mom for choosing such fun outfits that went so well with the location they chose.

I just can’t get over how happy and cheerful the kids were:

Little bits here became my buddy right away and reminded me so much of my youngest:

Big brother looks so cool:).

And here is where all those good-looks are coming from–aren’t mom and dad just stunning?  Mom’s due with #4 and her maternity sneak peek should be up shortly.

My favorite family shot of the morning–this is real life:).

Thanks so much, guys.  Other than the whole “stepping on a cactus in flip-flops while staring through the viewfinder trying to get the right composition” thing, I had a total blast!

I am a little hesitant to post the photos below because, well, just because:).  They do however illustrate a very important point that I have been wanting to share for a while now, so I am going to go ahead.

I never anticipated enjoying shooting maternity sessions as much as I do.  I must admit that I originally viewed them more as a vehicle for getting to know the new moms of the babies I would eventually get to photograph.  The more I work with these amazing and beautiful women, however, the more I come to love this aspect of my job.  Pregnancy is an almost magical thing.  The fact that our bodies are capable of creating, protecting, and giving life to these beautiful little people is a bit mind-boggling to me.  On the other hand, pregnancy can also be a time of physical discomfort and, for some of us, a time we feel less than beautiful.  I think sometimes we develop a warped and incorrect view of how we look.  I recently had a client comment after viewing her portraits, “I guess I’m not really as big as I think I am,” and another, “You did make me look good!”  For me, the greatest pleasure of a maternity shoot is showing a mom-to-be just how stunning she really is.

This past weekend, I decided to jump in myself and set up some shots for my darling, sweet, patient husband to take of me.  The pictures aren’t perfect and neither am I, but I walked away from the experience feeling better about myself than I had in the past few days.  Too many comments like, “Wow, that’s gonna be a big boy!,” “Are you sure they checked for twins?,” and “Man, you just POPPED right out there!” had started to take their toll.  With all the physical changes that come with pregnancy, the fatigue, the absent-mindedness, etc., it can be difficult to get in front of the camera.  But it is so important.  Your body changes every day and the work it is doing all on it’s own to create a new little baby is simply amazing.  It should be embraced and celebrated!  If pregnancy has made you camera-shy, I urge you to get prettied-up, find some good light and have someone take some pictures of the miracle you are.  You’ll be glad you did, and one day your kids will be too.

Me at 26.5 weeks:).

Okay, it’s me!  Much thanks to my darling husband for humoring me this afternoon and capturing all 26.5 weeks of my own growing belly.  As I get geared up for this final trimester of pregnancy and the upcoming arrival of our very first baby boy (after three girls, I still don’t really believe it!) in mid-September, I wanted to make an announcement about how this will affect Jessica Washburn Photography.  I will be taking regular sessions through the end of July (just a few more spots open so if you are looking to book, call now!).  Beginning in August, I will not be taking family or child sessions until the beginning of next year.

This was a very difficult decision to make, but I truly believe that there really aren’t any small moments during those first few months of a new baby’s life–each one is precious and all too fleeting.  It’s important to me that I take time off to recover and to just drink in the sweetness of getting to know the  newest member of our family.  Conversely, it is essential to my work that throughout your session experience with Jessica Washburn Photography, I really be present for and enjoy the moments I get to spend with your family.   I look forward to spending that time with you in 2010.  In the meantime, if you have any questions or need a referral, don’t hesitate to ask:).

If, however, you are looking to book a maternity or newborn session, before the end of the year, I don’t expect you to take my family planning into account when you plan yours:).  And, in fact, if you are looking to book this year, it’s already a little late for that anyway.  Give me a call or shoot me an email and we’ll discuss how to fit you in.  You know I can’t resist a gorgeous belly or a sweet bundle of newborn perfection!